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Home > Freshwater Fish > New World Cichlids > Firemouth Cichlid
Firemouth Cichlid (Thorichthys meeki)
Firemouth Cichlid
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Please Note: Due to variations within species, your item may not look identical to the image provided. Approximate size range may also vary between individual specimen.
Firemouth Cichlid (Thorichthys meeki)
Additional locales and sizes may be available!
Additional locales and sizes may be available!

Quick Stats

Care Level Moderate
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Color Form Blue, Red
Diet Omnivore
Water Conditions 70-75° F, KH 4-10, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size 6"
Family Cichlidae
Minimum Tank Size 30 gallons
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information
Care Level Moderate
Temperament Semi-aggressive
Color Form Blue, Red
Diet Omnivore
Water Conditions 70-75° F, KH 4-10, pH 6.0-7.5
Max. Size 6"
Family Cichlidae
Minimum Tank Size 30 gallons
What do these Quick Stats mean? Click here for more information

Overview

The Firemouth Cichlid, (Thorichthys meeki), is a beautiful cichlid with a pearlescent turquoise-blue body with red coloration edging the scales. The throat and breast are red in color, ranging from a brick to a fiery red shade. Along the body of the Firemouth Cichlid are series of vertical, black banding starting behind the eye, extending to the base of the caudal fin. The membranes of the fins have turquoise spots and the dorsal fin is edged in red. The pelvic and anal fins of the are edged in black. Female Firemouth Cichlids are less brightly colored than the males and have a blunt genital papilla. The male also has sharply pointed dorsal and anal fins.

The Firemouth Cichlid is somewhat territorial, especially during spawning and requires an aquarium of a minimum of 30 gallons, with a fine sand bottom for burrowing and plenty of open swimming room. If adding live aquarium plants, they should be hardy, like Sagittaria, and potted with their root surfaces protected. The aquarium landscape should also include rockwork or a tangle of driftwood as they like to hide among the rocks and roots.

Firemouth Cichlids demonstrate some-what aggressive territorial behavior especially during spawning and will harass smaller tank mates of their own species. It is therefore recommended to keep Firemouth Cichlids that are similar in size to minimize potential aggression. When attempting to threaten members of their same species, the Firemouth Cichlid will inflate a throat sac and extend its gill covers in an aggressive stance.

Male and female Firemouth Cichlids are excellent parents that pair together and form a tight-knit family unit where both the male and female share in the care and rearing of the fry. After carefully cleaning the rocks in the tank, the female will deposit 100-500 eggs on them. The newly-hatched fry are protected in pits excavated in the aquarium substrate and are moved several times. The fry may be fed newly hatched brine shrimp and finely crushed flakes. The Firemouth Cichlid parents may raise several broods in a year.

The Firemouth Cichlid is omnivorous, and will eat most prepared and frozen foods, including freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and ocean plankton, as well as flake food and Cichlid pellets.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1" to 2"; Medium: 2" to 3"; Large: 3" to 4"

Customer Testimonials

Dave S Norwich , CT
I have 4 Firemouths - three males and one female. The males are beautifully marked fish and the female has less color. They get along well with all my fish and pose no threat to any other fish in my tank. I recommend the fish to beginners who will quickly see what a pleasure this fish is!
Jennifer M Ft Walton Beach , FL
I love this fish. My male gets along well with all my other Cichlids, but does defend (by flaring his gills) his territory. They're a great first Cichlid for anyone.
1-2 of 2 testimonials

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